Dahcotah: Life and Legends of the Sioux Around Fort SnellingEastman, Mary H. (Mary Henderson)
History
Dahcotah: Life and Legends of the Sioux Around Fort Snelling
Eastman, Mary H. (Mary Henderson)
Dakota Indians -- Folklore; Dakota Indians -- History; Dakota Indians -- Social life and customs
Three teepees then remained, and they were occupied by seventeen
persons, all women and children excepting four. It was drawing on
towards evening, when the Dahcotahs heard the sound of footsteps, and
their satisfaction was very great, when they perceived the Chippeway
chief approach, accompanied by ten of his men. These men had been
present at the council of peace in February.
One of the Dahcotahs, named Red Face, had left his family in the
morning, to attend to the traps he had set for beaver. He had not
returned when the Chippeways arrived. His two wives were with the
Dahcotahs who received the Chippeways. One of these women had two
children; the other was quite young, and, according to Indian ideas,
beautiful too. She was the favorite wife.
The Dahcotahs received the Chippeways with real pleasure, in full faith
and confidence. "Hole-in-the-Day has been long in coming," said one of
the Dahcotahs; "his friends have wished to smoke the pipe of peace with
him, but some of them have left us to seek for food. We welcome you, and
will eat together, and our friendship shall last forever."
Hole-in-the-Day met his advances with every appearance of cordiality.
One thing, however, the Dahcotahs observed, that the Chippeways did not
fire their guns off when they arrived, which is done by Indians when
they make a visit of friendship.
The party passed the evening in conversation. All the provisions of the
Dahcotahs were called in requisition to feast the Chippeways. After
eating, the pipe went round again, and at a late hour they laid down to
sleep, the Chippeways dividing their party, several in each teepee.
Hole-in-the-day lay down by the side of his host, so motionless you
would have thought that sleep had paralyzed his limbs and senses; his
regular breathing intimates a heart at peace with himself and his foes;
but that heart was beating fast, for in a moment he raises himself
cautiously, gazes and smiles too upon the sleeping Dahcotah beside him.
He gives the appointed signal, and instantaneously plunges his knife
into the heart of the trusting Dahcotah. It was child's play afterwards
to quiet the shrill shrieks of the terrified wife. A moment more, and
she and her child lay side by side, never to awake again.
For a short time broken and shrill cries were heard from the other
teepees, but they were soon over. The two wives of Red Face had laid
down without a fear, though their protector was absent. The elder of the
two clasped her children to her heart, consoled, in a measure, while
listening to their calm breathing, for the loss of the love of her
husband. She knew that the affections of a husband might vary, but the
tie between mother and child is indissoluble.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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